July 24, 2013 + Love is a Holy State of the Soul

St. Maximus the Confessor, First Century on Love

1. Love is a holy state of the soul, disposing it to value knowledge of God above all created things. We cannot attain lasting possession of such love while we are still attached to anything worldly.2. Dispassion engenders love, hope in God engenders dispassion, and patience and forbearance engender hope in God; these in turn are the product of complete self-control, which itself springs from fear of God. Fear of God is the result of faith in God.3. If you have faith in the Lord you will fear punishment, and this fear will lead you to control the passions. Once you control the passions you will accept affliction patiently, and through such acceptance you will acquire hope in God. Hope in God separates the intellect from every worldly attachment, and when the intellect is detached in this way it will acquire love for God.4. The person who loves God values knowledge of God more than anything created by God, and pursues such knowledge ardently and ceaselessly.

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Martyrs and Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb

Troparion, Tone 2

Righteous passion-bearers and true fulfillers of the Gospel of Christ, chaste Boris and guileless Gleb, you did not resist the attacks of your brother, the enemy, when he killed your bodies but could not touch your souls. Therefore, let the evil lover of power mourn while you rejoice with the angels standing before the Holy Trinity. Pray that those who honor your memory may be pleasing to God, and that all Orthodox Christians may be saved.

Kontakion, Tone 3

Today your most glorious memory shines forth, noble participants in the passion of Christ, holy Boris and Gleb, for you call us together to sing praises to Christ our God! Praying to Him before your sacred images, we receive the gift of healing by your prayers, for you are indeed divine healers.